Today in History: Besigye Publishes Dossier That Exposes Cracks Within NRM

What the report says

On this day in 1999, Dr Kizza Besigye, then a senior serving officer in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and a former insider in the National Resistance Movement, released a 14-page dossier titled *An Insider’s View of How the NRM Lost the Broad Base*. According to Nile Post, the document challenged the ruling party’s direction and argued that it had drifted away from the broad-based political ideals that helped bring it to power in 1986.

The publication accused the NRM of becoming more narrow and dependent on personal loyalty, while also raising concerns about corruption, patronage, nepotism and the shrinking space for internal debate. Besigye’s position as Senior Military Advisor to the Minister of State for Defence made the criticism especially sensitive because he was still an active-duty UPDF officer when the document was published.

Nile Post reports that the military High Command reacted strongly and threatened disciplinary action, including a possible court-martial. The tensions were later eased through intervention by senior elders and historical figures, delaying formal proceedings.

The episode became an important turning point in Ugandan politics. It contributed to Besigye’s departure from the military and his break with the NRM, which later evolved into an open political challenge to President Yoweri Museveni. In October 2000, Besigye announced his intention to contest the 2001 presidential election under the Reform Agenda platform, beginning a long-running opposition rivalry.